Game



Patented Dec. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a game device, and more particularly toa device of the general class which comprises a bat and a ball tetheredto the ball by an elastic strand. The primary object of the invention isto provide a novel game device of the character indicated which, in use,will develop dexterity, concentration, and a sense of rhythm; and inwhich means are incorporated to penalize errors in rhythmic dexterity.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the descriptionproceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention maybe embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawing,attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawing isillustrative only, and that change may be made in the specificconstruction illustrated and described, so long as the scope of theappended claims is not violated.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the game device of the presentapplication;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, looking from the right hand side of Fig. 1;and

Fig. 3 is an illustration, upon a reduced scale, of the game device inuse.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, it will be seen that I haveillustrated a bat which is in the form of a thin, flat plate indicatedgenerally by the reference numeral l0, and conforming in shapesubstantially to the outline of a human hand. As will be seen,relatively narrow slots l2, l3, and I4 define the outlines of the fourfingers and the thumb of a human hand.

Adjacent the bases of said slots are penalizing indicia indicated by thereference numerals I 5, I6, l1, and I8, and printed in any suitablemanner upon one flat surface of the bat. A legend indicating the mannerof scoring is likewise printed upon the same surface of the bat, and isindicated by the reference numeral IS.

A weighted member, which may preferably be a rubber ball 20, istethered, preferably by means of an elastic strand 2|, to the palmportion of the said surface of the bat I 0, for instance by means of astaple 22. When the bat is made of wood, a wire staple may be drivendirectly into the bat surface for this purpose.

To the opposite surface of the bat I0 is secured a stirrup 25.Preferably said stirrup comprises an elastic band or strap the oppositeends of which are fastened, as by staples 23 and 24, adjacent oppositelateral edges of the bat upon the surface opposite that to which thestrand 2| is secured.

In use, the players hand is slipped between the stirrup 25 and the plateH), with the players fingers substantially coinciding with the fingeroutlines of the bat. Thereby, the surface of the bat to which the strand2| is secured is presented away from the players hand. The player thenholds the ball in his free hand and drops it and attempts to strike theball with the bat l0. According to the preferred method of playing thegame, the ball is so struck as to cause it to fly upwardly, thereby ofcourse stretching the strand 2|. As the ball returns, under theinfluence of gravity and the resiliency of the strand 2|, it is againstruck with the bat, and this method of play continues, counting one (1)point for each successful stroke. If the player fails to strike theball, the strand 2| will usually become engaged in one of thefinger-defining slots, whereupon the player is penalized by the numberof points indicated by the penalizing legend adjacent that slot in whichthe strand is so engaged.

Of course, the game may alternatively be played by striking the ball insuch manner as to cause it to fly forwardly or laterally on asubstantially horizontal plane or by striking the ball in such manner asto cause it to fly downwardly. Under either of these methods of play,the resiliency of the strand 2| will return the ball.

I claim as my invention:

1. A game device comprising an element formed generally in the shape ofa human hand and presenting a fiat palm-like surface, an elastic strandhaving one end secured to said element adjacent the center of the palm,and a weighted member carried at the other end of said strand, thefingers of the hand being defined by narrow, separating slots adapted toreceive said strand upon certain rebound movements of said memher.

2. A game device comprising a plate shaped to conform generally to theoutline of a human hand, the fingers being defined by relatively narrowseparating slots opening through an edge of said plate, an elastic straphaving its opposite ends secured respectively to one surface of saidplate adjacent the opposite lateral edges thereof to form a stirrupadapted to receive the hand of a player to secure said plate thereto,and a ball tethered to the opposite surface of said plate by an elasticstrand, said slots being adapted to receive the elastic strand uponcertain rebound movements of the ball.

3. A hand-shaped plate formed with a plurality of slots extending froman end thereof toward the palm portion thereof to define fingeroutlines, an elastic stirrup secured to one surface of said plate forattaching the same to a play- I ers hand, a ball, and an elastic strandsecured to said ball and to the palm portion of the opposite surface ofsaid plate, said plate being provided, on one surface, with penalizingindicia adjacent the bases of said slots, said slots being

